Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Role of Media on Internet Censorship

Kapil Sibal and his party seem to be very much perturbed on dirty messages and dirty photos of Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Rahul, Digvijay Singh and other prominent leaders displayed on social networking sites like Facebook. Now Kapil Sibal on behalf of ruling Congress party is trying to build pressure on CEOs and important officials of Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo etc to censor news pertaining to Sonia Gandhi and other leaders. But these officials have refused to accept the request made by Kapil Sibal taking plea that they cannot encroach upon fundamental right of Freedom of speech granted to citizens.

This is news published in New York Times. Crores of users are submitting billions of messages and photo daily on these sites and hence it is very much difficult to have control on the same.

As such Kapil is now trying to tight the screws of these social networking sites so that they may stop allowing criticism against their leaders. This is freedom of speech or democracy as preached by Kapil and his mentor Sonia Gandhi. Government is contemplating of introducing internet censorship. Of course the idea is good provided it is not used only for safeguarding prominent leaders of his party but for safety and security of the Nation.

It is ironical that learned advocate Sri Kapil Sibal is worried about comments made on FB against Sonia Gandhi and other leaders of Congress Party who are scam master and who act against the spirit of common men but Mr. Sibal is not worried about terror activities going on in the country through these social networking sites. Naxals, Maoist, foreign based terrorist are openly using FB to spread their dirty network. FB is openly used for spreading anti national message. There is no control on users and neither has it seems to be practically possible.

Learned advocate Sri Sibal is not worried about sharp fall taking place in cultural values in children due to misuse of FB like social networking sites. He is not aware how children of modern era are going away from study and spoiling their precious time on FB. He is perhaps not aware that even staffs in government offices are busy in chatting on FB even during office hours. The great flatterer is worried because dirty pictures of his colleagues in Congress Party are displayed on these social networking sites. He is not worried for the fact that even defense secrets are leaked to enemy nations through internet hacking only.

I would like to request our leaders like Kapil to discard flattery and perform fully in the interest of the country without any bias towards opposition parties or Team Anna or Ramdeo if their suggestions are in the interest of the country. Government is made by the people, for the people and of the people of India, but unfortunately Kapil is using the government powers as if Government is of the ministers, by the ministers and for the minister.

Here it is worthwhile to condemn TV media too which are showing unwarranted injudicious and discriminatory favour to Kapil Sibal by converting malicious intention of Kapil Sibal by unilaterally adding the statement “damage to the religious sentiments occurring by social networking sites” which Kapil did not utter at all.

Intention of Kapil was crystal clear in his statement made before TV media that his curative action as also punitive action proposed and threatened to social networking companies was directed to stop dirty game played on social networking sites against his own colleagues in cabinet and in his party. Mr. Kapil and advocates of censorship on Internet never advised Ministers to stop ugly scene in realty shows telecast on various TV channels. When Shiv Sena talks against ugly posters, unwarranted dram on valentine day and ugly scenes shown in various films the same media advocates of freedom of speech and expression. Media has to stop their dirty game and advised to act in favour of overall image of the Nation.

If they (media) feel that social networking sites or reality shows on TV or contents of cheap print media really damaging religious and social fabrics of the country they should come out with detailed guidelines and seek opinion of other knowledgeable persons and organization. They should keep in mind that MPs and MLAs not in power are also elected members and represent the will of voters and common men. People have every right to condemn media too if they become agents of persons in power.